The Last Slice

The Last Slice Bio:

The Last Slice started with one goal; to make people dance. In 2008 when the band originally formed, they had been previously experimenting with a style that resembles what some in the ska scene refer to as “punk rock with horns”, but were soon to find out that maybe it’s not all about guitar solos and epic horn lines. The Last Slice brings to the table a more advanced approach to the simple style of traditional ska. By mixing elements of punk rock, ska, reggae, dancehall, and straight rock ‘n’ roll, The Last Slice comes up with songs that keeps the dance floor lit up with excitement.

The Last Slice started in 2008 in the city of Tulsa, Oklahoma, with Ethan Nickles, Thomas Nickles, Caleb Cook, Jason Ward, and Matthew Sunday.. With the ska scene in the area lacking, they’ve decided to bring a new brand to the table, one capable of revitalizing the music punk and ska scene of Tulsa, and bringing new life to the overall scene of Tulsa as a whole. That year, the band began writing the first tracks for what is now the album “Fresh Cuts”, and playing locally and regionally trying to develop a following.

Through the next several years, the band underwent changes in both style and membership. Their bass player was eventually replaced by Nick Messer and another trombone player, David Lackey (The Know How) was added to the band. Stylistically the band began adding the infusion of punk, reggae, dancehall, and rock ‘n’ roll to the mix to create a very unique sound.

The band then embarked on their very first tours across the midwest supporting a Lincoln, NE band called “Bottlerocket”. That tour included stops in Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Missouri, and a stop at a festival in Hot Springs, Arkansas called “Valley of the Vapors” put on by Bill Solleder (The Blue Meanies). Before long, the band embarked on another tour across the southwest including stops in Colorado, Texas, and New Mexico.

Touring across parts of the US helped the band gained notoriety in their hometown and surrounding areas. They continued to play both locally and regionally with bands like Flogging Molly, The Toasters, The Flatliners, and The English Beat to get their own fan base back in the ska scene and dance music as a whole. While the band continued to write music for their first album, they also saw more changes to personnel. Joe Dufresne became the new bassists for The Last Slice and David Lackey moved on to join We Are The Union as they started touring across the US.

In 2012, their first album “Fresh Cuts” was completed and released. The album was recorded in Lincoln, NE at Plan C Records and was mix and mastered by Stephen Egerton of The Descendents. The band parted ways with album with album bassist Joe Dufresne and hired current member Tracy Smart to tour in his place. Immediately after it’s release the band began their CD release tour entitled “The Fresh Cuts Tour” in which they visited the majority of the eastern coastal states and much of the south. Careful to not slow down, the band embarked on another other major headlining tour, visiting the western coastal states. In the fall of 2012 they capped off their year by touring back through the south and east coast. “The Raid on the East Coast” tour was centered around an appearance at the fifth “Mass Ska Raid” in Atlanta, GA where they were a crowd and venue favorite.

The band is currently writing their second album and plans on touring for the majority of 2013, with a tour already in the pipeline for late January and early February.